Grader



J. ANTOS Dec. 12, 1939.

GRADER Original Filed Feb. 7, 1934' 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR W m BY MMwm ATTORNEYS mNMN RN 3 WM J. ANTOS Dec. 12, 1939.

GRADER Original Filed Feb. 7, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY J.ANTOS Dec. 12, 1939.

GRADER Original Filed Feb. 7, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 W ATTORN EY$INVENTOR m BY Patented Dec. 12, 1939 7 2,183,058

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRADER Joseph Autos, Aurora, 11]., asslgnorto WBSteFl'h Austin Company, Aurora, Ill.', a corporation ApplicationFebruary 7, 1934, Serial No. 710,099 Renewed May 7, 1937 8 Claims. (Cl.37--l56) My invention relates to an improvement in The invention furtherresides in the combinagraders. tlon, construction and arrangement ofparts illus- The object of my invention is to provide an imtrated in theaccompanying drawings and, while proved grader structure for universalservice in we have shown therein a preferred embodiment, roadconstruction, road grading and highway it is to be understood that thesame is susceptible 6 maintenance. of modification and change withoutdeparting More particularly, it is an object of my invenfrom the spiritof my invention. tion to provide a moldboard or blade construction Inthe drawings: and moldboard or blade mounting for a road ma- Figure 1 isa side elevation of my entire grader chine, whereby the moldboard orblade may be structure. l0

swung from a scraping position to a ditching and Figure 2 is a plan viewof the gooseneck and ditch contouring position by manipulation frommoldboard or blade supported thereby.

an operators platform upon the grader structure. Figure 3 is a rearelevation of my grader struc- Another object of my invention is toprovide ture, with the moldboard or blade and the goosein a number oflaterally adjustable mountings neck swung to a position for ditching andditch for various parts of a road grader structure, contouring.facilities for a universality of movement of the Figure 4 is a sectionon line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

grader moldboard or blade to facilitate manipula- Figure 5 is a sectionon line 55 of Fig. 2. tion of the moldboard or blade from a centralFigure 6 is a vertical section on line 6-6 in point of control oroperators platform. Fig. 1. 20

Another object of my invention is to provide Figure 7 is a verticalsection through the tubumeans at the operators station to control thelar king bolt and portions of the front axle and blade side shiftingmeans, and the side shifting spindle control thereof. of the moldboardor blade can be of a uniform Figure 8 is a vertical section through thecon- 26 rate and the ends of the moldboard or blade will trol devicesand mounting members of the rear make a diagonal movement across theroad while portion of the frame.

the grader is moving in a straight line forward. Like parts aredesignated by the same reference Another object of my invention is toprovide characters throughout the several views. means at the operatorsstation whereby the My grader structure is naturally divisible into 30operator at the operator's station can side shift certain mainstructural parts, includ g the 30 the moldboard or blade on the bladesupporting chassis or main frame and steering controls, a means withoutstopping the grader. rear frame mounting, a gooseneck adjustably sup-Another object of my invention is to provide ported with reference tothe frame and various means at the operators station whereby the Controldevices, and the moldboard or blade itself,

operator at the operators station can side shift With its m u t n d o la s- 35 the moldboard or blade on its supporting means and the moldboardor blade will retain the same chasszs or mam frame angle in relation tothe ground during the entire The general structure of my grader includesside shifting movement, this being accomplished a chassis or main frame[0 and supporting front 40 while the grader is in motion. wheels ll,mounted on spindles I I0, which in turn 40 Further objects of thisinvention are to proare secured to front axle l2, and supporting rearvide a construction of maximum simplicity, efwheels I3 mounted uponspindles M, which in ficiency, economy and ease of assembly and turn aresecured to rear axle l5, providing for operation, and such furtherobjects, advantages pivotal movement between the front and rear 5 andcapabilities as will later more fully appear axles and the front andrear spindles, as will be and are inherently possessed thereby. clearlyseen in Figs. 3 and 6.

Other means, than those described and shown The rear axle is ofconsiderable length in comin this application, attached to the bladesupportparison with the width of the rearward portion ing members and tothe moldboard or blade of the main frame l0 and the main frame I0 iswhich can be controlled by the grader operator adjustable laterally, aswill be clear from the de- 50 by control means located at the operatorsplatscription hereinafter set forth. form for side shifting themoldboard or blade At the rearward portion of main frame l0 and on itssupporting means during the forward supported above the rear axle I5, Iprovide an movement of the grader, can be used which. will operatorsplatform It to which are extended all u come within the scope of thisinvention. of the control rods, shafts and hand wheels to 5;

2- provide for' central control of the various adjustable features of myimproved grader and which are so important to my invention.

The forward portion of the main frame I0 is provided with a narrow crosshead II into which a tubular king pin I8 is set. Upon this king pin theentire front portion of my grader structure is supported; and the frontaxle I2 with its bolster I9 is in universal ball connection with theking pin I8 at 34 to permit the frame I0 and the rear wheels to assumeextreme degrees of angularity with respect to the front axle I2.

The king pin I8 is of tubular construction so that a front spindlecontrol shaft 35 may extend through the king pin I8 to a universal jointI03, from which the shaft 35 extends in the form of a splined connectionI04 to a worm 8. The worm 8 is in mesh with a worm gear I05 upon pinionshaft I06, and the pinion I01 shown in Fig. 6 is mounted on the shaftI06 and is in mesh with a gear sector block I08 mounted upon spindle barI09. Therefore, in the rotation of the spindle control shaft 35 thepinion meshed with the sector block I08 is enabled to rock thefrontwheel spindles IIO to a position comparable to that shown in Fig.3, which discloses oscillation of the rear wheel spindles I4.

The front axle and king pin assembly likewise permits of completefreedom of steering movement under control, not only of a draw bar 20,but also under control of a steering bar 2I which is rigidly connectedto the bolster I9 and is pivotally connected to the draw bar 20 adjacentthe bolster I9 by means of a draw bar king pin 22.

At the forward end of the hinge section 2| of the steering bar 2| is ayoke 23 loosely forked over the draw bar 20. The steering bar 2Icomprises two hinge sections 2| and 2I, the hinged joint of which isprovided with worm wheel control including a hinge box 24, a worm wheelshaft 25, comprising virtually the pintle of the hinge, a worm wheel 26,a cross shaft 2! with a worm (not shown) in engagement with the wormwheel 26. The cross shaft 21 is provided with a worm wheel 28 inengagement with a worm 29 on steering control shaft 30, which isprovided with universal joints 3| and a splined connection at 32. Shaft30 is revoluble and extends to the control position upon operatorsplatform I6 and is attached to hand wheel 9.

' When shaft 30 is rotated by hand wheel 9, the connections describedabove cause the worm wheel 26 to be rotated and with it the worm shaft25 is caused to hingedly move the parts 2I and 2! of the steering bar2|, thus causing the draw bar 20 to be disposed at an angle to thelongitudinal axis of the entire grader mechanism and the reversemovement of shaft 30 by hand wheel 9 will cause steering bar 2| toreturn to normal position.

Rear frame mounting The rearward portion of the main frame I0 comprisesa horizontal platform 50 which is built ,taining reduction gearing fromwhich a control shaft58 extends upwardly to a convenient posia eaouetion with respect to the operators platform I6. Rotation of the shaft 58therefore will cause the rear portion of the main frame I0 and theplatform 50 to be adjusted laterally within the limits of the length ofthe axle.

Gooseneck and gooseneck adjustment It will be noted that the main frameI0 is arched as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Under the arch of the mainframe I0, space is provided for the universal mounting and adjustment ofa gooseneck 60, yoked at its forward end for free swinging movement withrespect to the cross head I! by means of an eye bolt 6|. Rearwardly thegooseneck 60 develops into a broad support for a circle 62 which isdirectly attached to the supporting means 90 for moldboard or blade 63,which is the principal working unit of the entire grader structure.

Under the arch of the main frame I0, I provide a gooseneck adjustingscrew 64 which extends across the entire frame and is rotated by meansof a gooseneck control shaft 65 extending upwardly and rearwardly to theoperators position upon operators platform I6 and mounted thereon ishand wheel I. This shaft 65, through miter gears at 66, rotates thescrew 64 and thereby adjustably positions laterally a nut 61 to which isuniversally secured at 68, in a splined connection, a broad gooseneckcontrol plate 69 hingedly secured at its forward end to a gooseneckcross member I0.

At each end of the gooseneck cross member 10, a gooseneck swing link IIis connected to the gooseneck height adjusting cranks I2, with shaft I3which extends to a position adjacent the operators platform I6 wherelarge control wheels 14 with appropriate worm and worm wheel connectionsprovide means for the raising or lowering of the gooseneck 60 which iscounterbalanced by means of springs I5 with cables I6 extending aroundsheaves TI to drums I8.

It will be apparent from the above description that the gooseneck 60 asto either side thereof may be raised and lowered by rotation of one orthe other of the gooseneck control wheels I4 and that the gooseneck 60may be swung laterally by rotation of the shaft 65 and screw 64 by handwheel I, thus permitting the gooseneck 60 to assume the positionindicated in Fig. 3, so as to dispose the moldboard or blade 63 at anangle for ditch contouring.

To control the angularity of the moldboard or blade 63 with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the main frame of the grader. the circle 62 maybe rotated upon its supporting means 4 of gooseneck 60 and a pin rigidlysupported upon a bracket 8I by means of a cam 82, and control rod 83, sothat the reciprocation of the rod 83 will cause the cam 82 to beadjusted to permit the pin 80 to drop into holes 84 of the circle 62.When the pin 80 is withdrawn from the holes 84, the circle 62 may berotated to any convenient position.

Moldboard or blade supporting means Projecting downward and attached tocircle 62 are arms on the lower ends of which is hung the bladesupporting plate 9I by means of brackets 5 and 6 and pin I00 to permitoscillation of the moldboard or blade 63 and blade supporting plate 9|.Attached to the upper portion of the blade supporting plate 9| aresector arms ml with slots to receive the adjusting bolts I02 which passthrough the arms 90 for the purpose of adlusting the moldboard or blade93 and the blade supporting plate 9| to the proper cutting angl for theeasy movement of material.

At the top and bottom of the moldboard or blade 99 are guideways 93 and92 for attaching the moldboard or blade 63 to the blade supporting plate9| and permitting endwise movement of the moldboard or blade 93 on theblade supporting plate 9|. On the upper guideway 93 and attached to themoldboard or blade 63 is rack bar 94. Mounted on blade supporting plate9| is gear box 95-which consists of worm and gear 96 and gear 99. Thegear 99 contacts and meshes with rack bar 94. Attached to the shaft ofworm 96 is universal joint 86 and splined shaft 91. Bevel gears 91 and99 are supported and attached to the gooseneck 69 by bevel gears support99. Bevel gear 91 has attached thereto universal joint 96 to which isconnected the splined shaft 91. Attached to bevel gear 99 is controlshaft 95 which extends to the operators platform l6 and has attachedthereto hand wheel 96 which controls the rotation of splined shaft 91.Revolving the hand wheel 96' and gear 99, which is engaged or in contactwith the rack bar 94, will cause endwise movement of the moldboard orblade 63 on the supporting means 99 and 9|.

From the description set forth it can readily be seen that with theforward movement of the grader the operator on the operator's station |6can simultaneously cause a sidewise movement of the moldboard or blade63. It is important that this operation can be performed during theforward movement of the grader, as obstructions will frequently be foundon the side of the road which necessitate the side shifting of themoldboard or blade 63 without changing the angular relation of themoldboard or blade 63 with the road. The grader moving forward and theoperator side shifting the moldboard or blade 63 on its supportingmeans, will produce a diagonal movement relative to the line of movementof the grader.

The control of this sidewise movement of the moldboard or blade 63 onits supporting means by the operator on the operators platform l6 whilethe grader is moving is also very important where excess material isfound which necessitates a quick endwise movement of the moldboard orblade 63 on its supporting means without changing its angular relationto the road in order to transfer this material to another point on theroad, which requires more material than is ordinarily gathered by themoldboard or blade 63 in the usual straight-forward movement of thegrader.

In cutting ditches, obstructions such as small trees and culverts aremet and the side shifting of the moldboard or blade 63 on its supportingmeans is required to be done hurriedly and it is absolutely necessary toretain the same angularity of the moldboard or blade 63 with the road inorder that the water will flow and also to prevent humps in the ditch,which is the case when the side shifting of the moldboard or blade 63 onits supporting means cannot be accomplished, as heretofore the onlymethod of moving the moldboard or blade 63 in relation to the forwardmovement of the grader was to side shift the circle 62 and gooseneck 60and in doing this the alinement of the moldboard or blade 63 with theroad was changed.

It also appears that other important features of my invention are to befound in means for adjustment and control of the moldboard or blade 99so that the moldboard or blade 99 may be adjusted from the positionshown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3 by one man control fromthe control position upon operator's platform l6. To illustrate thesequence of movements of such adjustment and assuming that the moldboardor blade 63 is in the position indicated in Fig. 1, it would be possiblefor the operator on operators platform to initially rotate shaft 95 tocause the moldboard or blade 63 to slide endwise upon blade supportingplate 9| to the extreme left hand position under the influence of therotation of pinion 99 in mesh with rack bar 99.

After the moldboard or blade 63 has been slidably moved to its extremeleft hand position, the gooseneck control shaft, 65 may be rotated tocause nut 61 to move to the extreme left hand position upon screw 64,thus positioning the goo-seneck 69 in the extreme left hand position.

After this is done, or while this movement is in progress, the operatoron operator's platform may move the gooseneck raising and loweringcranks 12 to the positions indicated in Fig. 3, thus depressing theright hand side of the gooseneck 69 and elevating the left hand sidethereof.

Depending upon the particular demands of the situation in which theditch contouring task is to be accomplished, as indicated in Fig. 3, theentire main frame IU of the grader may be shifted to the left or to theright with respect to the rear axle l5 as desired by the operator.

Under the requirements of the task as set forth in Fig. 3, the steeringadjustments may be made through steering control shaft 39 to swing thedraw bar 29 to the extreme right to permit the tractor or other motivepower to travel at the extreme right out of the ditch.

I claim:

1. In a road grader, a blade arcuately curved upwardly and forwardlyfrom a cutting lower margin, a narrow space bar and a wide angle ironcomprising a channel-forming reinforcement for the lower margin of theblade, a narrow space bar and a wide rack bar comprising achannel-forming means spaced from the angle iron and a blade supportingplate receivable in the channels and comprising a mounting for theblade, said blade supporting plate being provided with means formounting the blade upon the grader, and a pinion mounted upon said meansfor'engagement with the rack bar, whereby to adjust the blade upon theblade supporting plate.

2. In a road grader provided with a cradle and supporting arms dependingtherefrom, a blade supporting plate pivotally connected with the armsand provided with a pinion and reduction gear connected therewith, and acurved grader blade slidably mounted upon the blade supporting plate andprovided with a rack bar in mesh with said pinion, whereby the rotationof the reduction gear and said pinion moves said rack bar and said bladeslidably upon the blade supporting plate, said plate being curved toconform to the curve of the grader blade to provide a reinforcementtherefor.

3. In a road grader comprising, a main frame supported for movement overthe road, a circle rotatably supported by said frame for rotation in asubstantially horizontal plane, moldboard supporting means and amoldboard slidably mounted thereon for endwise displacement supable gearto rotate the rotatable gear and produce endwise displacementof themoldboard during the movement of the grader.

5. In a road grader, a frame supported for movement, a member pivotallysecured thereto for rotation in a substantially horizontal plane, amoldboard slidably mounted for endwise displacement on said member andgenerally across the line of movement of said grader, and meansinterconnecting'said member and moldboard for causing said displacementof the moldboard during the movement of the grader to effect acontinuous and uniform diagonal movement of said moldboard relative tothe line of movement of the grader.

6. In a road grader comprising, a frame supported for movement over aroad, a circle mounted on said frame for rotation in a substantiallyhorizontal plane, a moldboard slidably mounted for endwise displacementon said circle, and means providing a continuous uniform endwisedisplacement of said moldboard generally across the line of movement ofsaid frame and during the course of movement thereof to produce acontinuous and uniform diagonal movement of said moldboard relative tothe line of movement of the grader, and said moldboard retaining thesame angularity with the ground during its entire endwise displacement.

7. A road grader comprising, a frame supported for movement over a road,a circle support mounted on said frame for rotation in a substantiallyhorizontal plane, a moldboard slidably mounted for endwise displacementon said circle support, and means providing a continuous uniform endwisedisplacement of said moldboard generally across the line of movement ofsaid frame and during the course of movement thereof to produce acontinuous and uniform diagonal movement of said moldboard relative tothe line of movement of the grader.

8. In a road grader, in combination, a frame with an operator's stationthereon supported for movement over the road, a circle rotatablysupported by said frame for rotation in a substantially horizontalplane, a moldboard support and a moldboard slidably mounted thereon forendwise movement supported by said cirole, rotatable means mounted onthe moldboard support engaging means on said moldboard, control means atthe operator's station interconnected with said rotatable means toproduce endwise movement of the moldboard during the movement of thegrader.

JOSEPH ANTOS.

